


permanent

by doja



Category: South Park
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Enemies to Lovers, Eric Cartman in Drag, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, Kyman - Freeform, M/M, Party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:33:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27312679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doja/pseuds/doja
Summary: Halloween costumes are temporary, but feelings aren't.
Relationships: Kyle Broflovski/Eric Cartman
Comments: 8
Kudos: 76





	permanent

**Author's Note:**

> happy halloween ya filthy animals

“I can’t believe you’re seriously wearing that for Halloween.”

Kyle was standing in the doorway of Cartman’s room, waiting for him to get ready. They were going to a Halloween party at Token’s house with Stan and Kenny, just as they did every other damn year — only this year, they were real adults at 19-year-olds, all home from college to get together. A few people wouldn’t be there as they went to school out of state and Kyle secretly envied them. He was attending the University of Colorado with Stan while he waited for a better opportunity to come around.

“What now, Kyle? Huh? What’s wrong with my outfit?”

Kyle shook his head. _Less than one year,_ he convinced himself. _Less than one year and I’ll be out of here._ And then he wouldn’t have to prioritize Eric Cartman.

“Well. For one I don’t even think that fits properly,” he sighed. “Is that your mom’s?”

“Are you insane? Why would I wear my _mom’s_ corset?” Cartman shot him a look of disdain.

“Well? I can’t think of anywhere else you’d find something like that,” Kyle grumbled. Of all Eric Cartman’s terrible costumes, this might have been the worst one yet. He’d gone all out on this night in particular. Stretchy red jumpsuit barely concealing a corset, streaky blonde wig, platform boots laced all the way up. The extra few inches nearly brought him to Kyle’s eye line, which was an accomplishment if anything. Cartman wasn’t short, but Kyle was _tall._

“Really, Kyle? You don’t think I have my own resources?” he asked. “I got this very corset at a sex shop in Buena Vista.”

“Wow, I absolutely did not want to know that.”

“Wanna see what else I got?”

“No.”

“These,” Cartman grinned, flipping up the heel of his boots. “They weren’t cheap.”

“I bet,” Kyle folded his arms over his chest. “Who are you? The devil?”

Cartman shot him a look of disgust. “Is that a joke?”

“No?”

He pinched his eyes shut, releasing a long sigh. “I’m Britney Spears in the ‘Oops! I Did It Again’ music video.”

 _Of course, he is,_ Kyle reflected. “You couldn’t just pick a normal costume?”

“Oh, what, like you?” Cartman cocked a brow. “A shitty fuckin’ vampire?”

“Halloween is one day of the year, Cartman. I'm not going to spend my precious time and money on something temporary," he crossed his arms. "What’s wrong with vampires?”

“Zero fucking creativity, Kyle. Zero fucking creativity.”

Cartman still thought he looked cute though.

“Okay, whatever,” Kyle groaned. “Stan and Kenny are waiting in the car. They’re gonna get freaked out if we don’t get back soon.”

“Oh. Oh, I get it,” Cartman grinned cheekily, gripping Kyle by the chin. “You’re worried they’re gonna think we’re bangi—”

“Stop that!” he glared, slapping Cartman’s hand away. “You can’t do that when we’re with other people.”

“Yeah, but we’re not _with_ other people right now,” Cartman cooed, running the back of his hand against Kyle’s cheek. “I can look past the Spirit Halloween costume if I just keep my eyes closed.”

Kyle rolled his eyes. “What’s wrong with Spirit Halloween? You don’t shop at Spirit Halloween?”

“I do. But only for minor supplies,” Cartman scoffed. “This entire costume smells cheap. You’re wearing some-kid-in-a-sweatshop-couture now, babe.”

“I don’t think that’s very funny,” Kyle scoffed.

“Of course you don’t. You have no sense of humor.”

“Do I _lack_ a sense of humor, or do you lack a moral compass, Cartman?” Kyle asked.

“God, you’re so unlikable. God, Kyle. Please, Kyle. Before we go out tonight, can you please remove that giant stick from your ass?” he sighed. “Please, Kyle. It’s not attractive. And it’s making you sound like a bitch.”

“I don’t have time to argue with you,” Kyle snapped. “We have to go!”

“Okay, okay!” Cartman scoffed. “Fine, let’s fucking go.”

* * *

Three hours into the party, Kyle headed to the bathroom after he’d broken his seal. He wasn’t a big drinker by any stretch; just a beer or two in though, he was feeling a very slight buzz and desperately needed a bathroom break. He knocked on the door of Token’s basement bathroom, expecting a girl to pop her head out from the door and tell him to give her ‘five more minutes’, but that was no girl.

_“Gimme a fucking minute, Jesus Christ!”_

Kyle rolled his eyes. _Three bathrooms in this house plus two on-suites, and I picked this one._ “I really have to pee.”  
Cartman swung the door open, swiping icy pink lipgloss back under his cupid’s bow for a touch-up. “You could’ve gone to literally any other bathroom, asshole.”

“Bebe’s throwing up in the other one.”

“Excuses, excuses,” Cartman rolled his eyes. “This is a mansion, stupid. You had other options.”

“Are you gonna let me in or what?”

“The door’s open,” he grinned sarcastically. “Come on in.”

Kyle sighed, stepping into the surprisingly small basement bathroom. “Well?”

“Well…?”

“Get out.”

“I’m not done in here,” Cartman said, slamming the door shut. “Wait, Kyle...are you piss-shy?”

“I’m not piss-shy.”

“Are you scared I’m gonna see your dick?”

“Cartman.”

“‘Cause Kyle, baby...we both know that ship sailed back in junior year.”

_“Cartman.”_

“And then again in senior year. And again for your birthday, and then right before you headed to Boulder. And maybe—”

“Alright, alright, I get it!” Kyle snapped. “Just let me fucking pee!”

“Then pee, damn!”

Kyle flipped open the toilet seat, shielding his body from Cartman with the cape from his costume. He hated that Cartman was right, this material did feel extremely cheap. Cartman was also right about a few other things, but he was trying not to think about that at the moment. Out of the corner of his eye, he could already see Cartman trying to eye him from out of the corner of _his_ eye and that was enough to really irritate Kyle (not that it took a lot to irritate Kyle Broflovski).

He was mostly irritated that Cartman was so right. Over the past two or so years they’d shared some extremely intimate moments. Kyle wanted to quit it. He knew the more he slept with Cartman, the more hooked Cartman would get and the closer they’d be to getting caught. He was also pretty sure Cartman was in love with him. He really had been clueless all the way up to the moment of their first kiss. Not clueless about Cartman being _gay,_ but he hadn’t realized that Eric Cartman had feelings for him that went beyond pure, unadulterated hatred. He also hadn’t, himself, anticipated being attracted to another guy. Especially if that guy was Eric Cartman.

But there was no denying that the two shared an unbreakable connection and when they connected their chemistry was explosive. This dynamic was either going to end in murder or marriage and Kyle didn’t like _either_ option. He also couldn’t anticipate which was more likely.

“Do you _mind?”_ Kyle glared in Cartman’s direction.

“What?” he mumbled in response, averting his eyes.

“You’re staring at my fucking crotch.”

“Pfft,” Cartman rolled his eyes, dashing mascara back across his fake lashes. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

They’d had sex enough for Kyle to know Cartman liked that part of him a whole lot, but he wasn’t about to be explicit about it. “Whatever,” he snapped, pulling up the fly of his jeans and heading for the sink. “Just mind your own business.”

“I will when you do,” Cartman retorted, turning in Kyle’s direction, narrowing his eyes.

“Shut up,” Kyle finished washing his hands, then attempting to move around Cartman who was unintentionally blocking the door. He was still chubby, years later. Maybe he really was big-boned or maybe it was his terrible dietary choices. “Hey, f—...Cartman, can you fucking move?”

He’d nearly called him ‘fatass’ but that felt weird when Cartman was in drag for some reason. It hadn’t felt weird for him when they were kids, but now it felt strange.

Cartman just stared at him. He had a tube of fruity lipgloss in one hand that he dropped to the counter, outstretching his hands and slipping his fingers through Kyle’s gelled back hair.

“What’re you doing?” Kyle scoffed, batting him away initially.

 _“Shut up,”_ Cartman said, ignoring Kyle’s directions and fluffing his hair up. “Your hair looks so fucking stupid like this.”

“What?” he glared. “It’s part of the costume.”

“You complain about how fucking ugly your hair is and then you wear it like this,” Cartman made fake-vomiting noises. He was obnoxious. “Here, just let me fix it.”

“I don’t usually wear it like this,” Kyle rolled his eyes. “It’s part of the costume.”

“I know, but it’s a huge turn-off,” he remarked.

“I don’t know why that matters,” Kyle said, but he was all too aware of how close they were now. Cartman ran his fingers through Kyle’s gelled red tresses, fluffing his hair back up and twisting his curls into their natural form. He’d never say it, but he loved Kyle’s hair. He’d never say it, but he thought Kyle was handsome.

“It just does,” Cartman lied. He was hoping they’d sleep together again, yes. “Okay, that looks better.”

Kyle sighed, peering at himself in the mirror. He hated that Cartman was actually good with hair and makeup and all that girly shit because he actually did look pretty good when someone with a little bit of knowledge put work into his hair. He ran his hands back through his red curls. “That’s not the point of my costume, though.”

“I don’t give a shit about your costume. You looked so stupid.” Nearly everything Cartman said he put bluntly. “And you just messed it up again.”

“It looks exactly the same.”

“No, you fucked it up,” Cartman gripped him by the shoulders, licking his fingertip and fixing a misplaced curl. “Honestly, Kyle, you should be flattered I let you dick me. ‘Cause the way you…”

Cartman’s long ramble had turned into nothing but background noise as blood rushed to Kyle’s cheeks and his thoughts turned static. Maybe it was the stupid Britney Spears costume (maybe) or maybe it was the few beers he’d had (Nah, he was barely lit), or maybe he just _wanted_ Cartman (most probable). Or maybe it was the addictive way Cartman ran his hands through his hair and the way he was actually being gentle for once.

“Hello? Kyle?” Cartman raised a brow. “I _told_ you to move your head to the side. I’m trying to do you a fucking favor, hello?”

“Yeah, whatever,” he mumbled, eyeing Cartman’s lips.

“God, you’re such an asshole. Just move your head to the right a little bit,” he scowled. “Kyle, you’re not even listening to me. Kyle, you’re—”

And Kyle made the regrettable decision for the fifth time by then, to cup Cartman’s face in his hands and kiss him roughly. Without even thinking, Cartman’s hands flew down from Kyle’s hair to his arms, glue-on-nails digging into his skin. Kyle pushed Cartman back against the bathroom door and the feeling of that bright red synthetic bodysuit against his skin was driving him insane. Cartman panted in between breathy kisses and backhanded Kyle the moment he attempted to rip the wig off his skull.

“What?” Kyle breathed. “Last time you told me you hate it when we only do this if you’re in drag.”

“There’re pins keeping my wig on, asshole. It’s not like in porn.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“Jesus Christ!” Cartman glared, pushing Kyle off of him to un-secure his wig and pull it loose. Kyle then grabbed it out of his hands, tossing it on the floor and pressing his mouth down against Cartman’s again. Cartman threw his hands up and around Kyle’s neck and was immediately pushed back against the door when he felt Kyle reach around his back for the zipper.

“Where’s the—” Kyle murmured. “How do you undo this fucking thing?”

“Zipper is near the top,” Cartman spoke breathily. “Zip me, pussy.”

“Fuck you,” Kyle’s voice was muffled as their mouths reconnected and he fished with Cartman’s zipper, tugging it down, and down, and _all_ the way down and then shortly after, Cartman yanked off Kyle’s cheap cape and then they were on the floor along with their now abandoned, and frankly, irrelevant, Halloween costumes. Their temporary usage had served the purpose.

15 minutes later they were lying on the floor in a hot, panting, and tangled mess. Cartman’s makeup was smudged nearly into non-existence and Kyle’s hair was in an even worse state than it had been when he woke up that morning.

“Can you pass me a baby wipe?” Cartman asked Kyle, who was closer to the sink cabinet.

“For what?”

“My makeup,” he murmured, catching his breath. Kyle was an athlete, maybe that was why he was so resilient. But then again, Cartman wasn’t exactly in shape. “You fucking ruined it.”

“Sorry.”

“I hope you’re happy,” he said as Kyle passed him a wipe. “I spent two hours getting ready.”

“Whatever,” Kyle sat up, wiping his brow. “We better clean up before anyone notices.”

“No, wait,” Cartman tugged at Kyle’s arm. “Let’s just sit for a while.”

Kyle arched a brow. “You’re still recovering? You should really see a doctor about that.”

“No. Fuck you,” he replied. “Just...don’t clean yet, okay?”

Kyle sighed, lying back down next to Cartman. Cartman wriggled his arms around Kyle’s chest, resting his head in the crook of his shoulder. “Good job today.”

“No shit.”

“You should come visit more often.”

“Not likely,” Kyle admitted. “I don’t even wanna stay in Colorado.”

“...really?”

“Nah, I’ve applied to schools out of state,” he said.

“Maybe I can come with you.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“I said maybe.”

“Okay,” Kyle closed his eyes, absently-mindedly smoothing out Cartman’s mussed up hair. “Maybe.”

Lying on the bathroom floor together, Kyle and Cartman shared a temporary space with the looming possibility that maybe this situation was temporary, but their feelings were not.

Someday it could be permanent.

**Author's Note:**

> mini-epilogue: after kyle and cartman are done reflecting...cartman can't get back into his corset and bodysuit, so kyle gives him his cape to wrap around his body instead and then drives him home. sorry for the lack of social distancing between them but that's on god


End file.
